Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob Squarepants passed away Monday at the age of 57. A former marine biology teacher, Hillenburg died due to complications with ALS, a diagnosis he received in March 2017.
Nickelodeon’s official Twitter announced the news earlier this morning: “We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.” Hillenburg was nominated for an Emmy nine times for SpongeBob but was never won.
Hillenburg was born on August 21st, 1961 in Lawton, Oklahoma, he attended Humboldt State University in Northern Califonia. In 1984, he graduated with a degree in natural resource planning and interpretation, with an emphasis on marine resources. Hillenburg credited his interest in marine biology for the creation of SpongeBob.
In 1987, after taking an interest in animation, Hillenburg enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. Then, in 1992, he graduated with a degree in experimental animation. After that, Hillenburg worked on Rocko’s Modern Life and Rugrats while honing his craft.
After a fellow writer on Rocko’s Modern Life admired a comic about tide pools that Hillenburg had written, he decided to pursue his own tv show based on the concept. That show would become SpongeBob Squarepants It premiered in May 1999 and has since racked up multiple awards and over 250 total episodes. SpongeBob has also made a splash on the stage and the big screen with two feature-length films as well as SpongeBob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical.
Hillenburg is survived by his wife of 20 years, Karen; son Clay; mother Nancy; brother Brian and his wife, Isabel; and nieces Emma and Hazel.
Nickelodeon released a statement following his passing. “Steve imbued SpongeBob SquarePants with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere. His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.”
